06 December 2015: Exchange Square stop

Exchange Square opened on the 6th December. Victoria to Exchange Square is the first stage of the Second City Crossing.

Construction work started on the around 0.5km stretch of line in summer 2014 following utility diversions – and it has been fast-tracked thanks to a European Regional Development Fund grant.

Services run, for part of the day, from this stop to Shaw and Crompton on Monday to Saturday and Rochdale Town Centre on Sunday. Check the tram times on the Metrolink web site

17 September 2015: Deansgate-Castlefield stop transformed

Opening of a new passenger lift today marks the substantial completion of rebuilding and expanding this stop.

A new inbound track, two new platforms (as an island) and two sets of stairs all form part of the improved stop. The modernised pedestrian bridge links it to Deansgate railway station.

The new platforms and surrounding stop area are paved with green slate while two new passenger shelters cast shadows of leaves on to the platforms, which are surrounded by extensive landscaping.

The Deansgate end of the stop boasts a huge ‘living wall’ with plants and flowers. The lift is on the inside and stairs on the outside of this structure. Trams passing through the stop appear to move along a bed of grass thanks to blocks of sedum planted between tracks, which are teeming with wildflowers. At the Albion Street end there is a new stairway from Whitworth Street West pavement to the stop.

The work has been part-funded by a £10.8 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The grant is also helping fast-track the first stage of the Second City Crossing (2CC) line, including a new stop at Exchange Square.

28 August 2015: Metrolink single line through St Peter’s Square

A new single line through St Peter’s Square has been completed and is in use. When stop rebuilding has ben completed, this will be the 1CC outbound track. While the works continue trams are running in both directions on this line through the square.

The services, which do not stop in St Peter’s Square are:

Altrincham to Etihad Campus

Altrincham to Deansgate-Castlefield

Bury to Piccadilly

Bury to East Didsbury

Eccles-MediaCityUK to Piccadilly

Rochdale to Ashton-under-Lyne

Manchester Airport to Cornbrook

The free city centre Metroshuttle bus services offer frequent links around the city. Step-free walking routes through St Peter’s Square are fully signposted. Pedestrians are reminded to use designated walk ways and crossing points around the square.

29 July 2015: Wythenshawe transport interchange opened

Wythenshawe Interchange opened on 29 July 2015. It provides a modern, high quality gateway to the town centre with improved safety and security for both bus and Metrolink passengers. It includes a brand new TfGM Travelshop, cycle parking facilities, enhanced CCTV and passenger information systems.

Built alongside Wythenshawe Town Centre Metrolink stop, the interchange is environmentally-friendly thanks to 72 solar panels that have been fitted to the roof. These will provide about 10 per cent of the energy needed for the entire building.

10 July 2015: Rochdale, new station gateway opens

A 40–metre section of the underpass at the Miall Street side of Rochdale station, which was closed for 36 years, has been refurbished and re-opened. It now provides quick and easy access to both railway station and the Metrolink stop for travellers using the park and ride car park on Hare Street.

Closed in 1979 the underpass had fallen into disrepair. It has now been furnished with new signs, railings, LED lighting, CCTV, York stone flooring and a new drainage system. Many of the heritage features from the original subway have been kept and restored, such as the ironwork, bridge decks, heritage railings and the brown, cream and light blue tiling inside the tunnel. Historic photographs of how the station used to look are featured on the walls and railings. This includes an image from the royal visit of King George V and Queen Mary back in 1913.

29 June 2015: St Peter’s Square stop closed for rebuild

From 28 June for eight weeks, until the end of August, there are no services running through St Peter’s Square.

The following Metrolink services will run until the end of August:

Altrincham to Deansgate-Castlefield: 12 minute service with double trams.

Altrincham to Cornbrook: Peak only 12 minute service with single trams.

Bury to Piccadilly: 6 minute service (7am to 8pm Mon-Fri, 9am – 8pm Sat) and 12 minutes at all other times. Some double trams will run during weekday peak.

East Didsbury to Deansgate-Castlefield: 12 minute service with double trams in the peak.

Rochdale town centre to Ashton-under-Lyne: 12 minute service with single trams. Some double trams will run during weekday peaks.

Additional bus services

To offer good access to the city the Metrolink X1 shuttle bus is running a circular service between Piccadilly station, Trafford Bar and Cornbrook stops. Frequencies and times may change in line with customer demand.

The free city centre Metroshuttle bus services also offer frequent, improved services for Metrolink passengers to get around the city.

15 June 2015: Metrolink’s 100th New Tram arrives

In the early hours of 13 June, Bombardier M5000, number 3100 arrived at Queen’s Road depot after a journey across Europe from Vienna.

Six years earlier on 13 June 2009 3001 arrived at Queen’s Road depot.

On 16 December 2009 the first M5000 went into service on the Piccadilly to Eccles line.

For the new tram launch event on 21 December 2009, 3003 ran to Eccles with invited guests. Failure of an older tram resulted in it returning to Manchester Piccadilly in public service.

30 April 2015: Park and ride facilities expanded at Shaw and Crompton

The number of spaces more than doubled with the opening of a new section south of Beal Lane. This added a further 46 parking spaces, three disabled spaces and two motorbike parking spaces to the existing 44 spaces to the north of Beal Lane.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) delivered this expansion after Oldham Council bought the former Talentum premises. Planning permission was granted for the scheme in February 2015 and construction work began almost immediately. The new facilities feature enhanced safety and security measures such as brighter street lighting and a CCTV system.

26 March 2015: Free wifi on Metrolink trams

Greater Manchester’s ambition to become a top 20 worldwide digital city region has taken a major step forward with the rollout of free, superfast wifi to Metrolink trams.

The £1.7 million scheme means that Metrolink customers can now surf the web for free on all trams, which join the 20 buses running the free city centre Metroshuttle service.

The move is part of an innovative £7.25m scheme being run by Manchester City Council, Salford City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) – with funding from Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Thanks to the scheme, Manchester and Salford are also providing superfast free wifi in public buildings right across the cities.

Metrolink customers need to complete a very quick and simple registration the first time they use free wifi, and can sit back and enjoy surfing the web for free. Go to www.metrolink.co.uk/wifi to find out more.

21 February 2015: Victoria stop back in use

Network Rail are building a new roof for this part of the station. The Metrolink stop is being rebuilt; when complete there will be two double sided platforms with three tracks. This new layout, together with the new junction for the Second City Centre Crossing, will allow future turnback arrangements for the full Metrolink phase 3b.

On 21 February Victoria stop reopened with trams stopping on both sides of the southern island platform; this is the one furthest from main line platforms. For one year trams have been passing through Victoria, non–stop in both directions on a single line of track.

Work on city end of the outbound platform has advanced, enabling the steps at the First Street end of the viaduct to be reopened.

Exhibition Bridge, which opened in 1984, linking Deansgate rail station and G–Mex centre has closed for a major refurbishment. Its ‘tubular’ covering has deteriorated becoming considerably darker and broken in places. New transparent side walls are being provided within the existing skeletal structure.

Passengers requiring a step-free route from Metrolink to Deansgate rail station are advised to use the St Peter’s Square tram stop instead. A signed, suitable step–free walking route between St Peter’s Square and Deansgate rail station is in place. Alternatively, passengers can travel on to Piccadilly station for direct step-free links between trains and trams.

Passengers travelling between Deansgate rail station and Manchester Victoria or Shudehill also have the option of using the free and frequent Metroshuttle 2 bus service, which has stops right outside Deansgate rail station.